I've posted about Gregoire Alessandrini's excellent New York City 1990s photoblog here several times. It really is a remarkable trove of images of a city that was just on the very cusp of transforming. Gregoire managed to capture photograph after photograph of the final stages before the widespread gentrification really took hold. In his pictures, NYC still has an endearingly rough 'n' tumble quality -- a little bruised, a little rusty, a little unkept -- that would simply never be tolerated in today's incarnation.
By this point, Gregoire is finishing up, and keeps threatening "Final Update" with each post. I did that for a while too, but then I'd always stumble upon another boxload of my own crappy pics that begged to be posted (in my opinion, of course). Here's hoping Mr. Alessandrini makes a few similar discoveries.
In any case, here's just a quick shot from his latest batch that struck me. Maybe I blocked it from my memory, but I feel certain that I would have recalled a giant Levi's billboard with the Sex Pistols on it. Honestly, I have zero recollection about ever seeing this. Then again, I was fairly bummed out for quite a bit of the 90s, so perhaps I was just looking down and missed it.
In any case, it's far too late to get all outraged about this arguable blight against the Sex Pistols' legacy and integrity (itself also arguable -- espeically in the wake of their reunion tours). Moreover, life is far too short, it'd make me a big cliche and a bit of a hypocrite. I love the Sex Pistols and am currently wearing a pair of Levi's, so obviously I should shut the hell up.
Go check out New York City 1990s.
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